Take-up clamp



Patented May 10, -1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TAKE-UP CLAMP James F. Fair, New Kensington, Pa.

Application January 25, 1946, Serial No. 643,220

4 claims. (ol. 24134 My invention relates to clamping devices for ropes and the like, particularly to a device which provides for the drawing of a rope taut and for securing it under tension. The invention consists in certain new and useful improvements in the structure of such devices, aiording economy in manufacture, and ease and certainty of operation.

The combination take-up and clamping device of the invention will prove useful in manipulating and securing various tie lines, warping ropes, the halyards a-nd shrouds of boats, etc., but it has been particularly developed for use in tightening and securing clotheslines, in which association it will be described herein, with the wider adaptp ability and utility held in contemplation.

The invention will be understood upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a device embodying the invention, showing additionally Va support and the end of a clothesline positioned in the device, ready to be drawn taut and secured;

Fig. 2 is a view of the device in top plan; and

Fig. 3 is a view comparable with Fig. 1, showing the device in rope-securing position.

The device of the invention comprises two members 2 and 3, in this case formed of aluminum, but other metals and materials of suitable strength may be employed. The member 2 is a v tension-sustaining element which in this case is constructed of a length of rod shaped to provide at one end an eye 2a, by means of which the device is secured to a hook 4 secured in a clothesline post, it being understood that the eye 2a may be supplanted by a device of other form, suitably adapted to engage the particular support or anchorage available. At its opposite end the tension member 2 includes a loop 2b, the distal end portion of which provides a bearing for a pivot pin 5, by means of which the member 3 is eccentrically united to the member 2 for angular movement as will appear.

The member 3 is a clamping element, including two spaced plate-like portions 3a and 3b that straddle the body portion of member 2 to which the member 2 is pivoted, and each of said platelike portions is bifurcated, that is, formed with a notch 3c, the bottom and side edges of each notch being rounded and smooth so as not to snag a rope engaged thereby when the device is used, as described below. Extending outwardly from the notched portions 3a and 3b is an integral handle portion 3d, and at the base of said handle portion the body of member 3 located between the 2 notched portions provides a stop portion 3e which is adapted to abut upon the intervening looped body portion of the member 2, with the notched portions of the clamping member 3 extended angularly upward from the pivot 5.

Extending from a point 2c located medially of its length the body of the tension member 2 is inclined towards the loop portion 2b, and this inclined portion, 2d, of the member 2 provides a rounded clamping edge for cooperation with the notched portions of clamping member 3. The incli-ned clamping edge 2d is eccentric with respect to the center 5 of relative angular movement of the two members 2 and 3, and the space interval between such clamping edge and the center 5 of turning decreases in the extent of the clamping edge from the point 2c to the loop portion 2b. It will be understood, therefore, that, when the clamping member 3 is swung clockwise on the pivot from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1 into the position in which it is shown in Fig. 3, the two notched portions 3a and 3b straddle the clamping edge 2d, and that the further the clockwise swing of the clamping member the closer the inner ends of the notches 3c move toward the top of the inclined clamping edge 2d. This action provides a wedging eiect that is eX- tremely effective to secure the end of a rope or clothesline.

In service the otherwise free terminal portion of the clothesline R to be tightened and fastened is inserted in the two notches 3c, with the clamping member in the open position in which it is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in which the ynotched portions Sa and 3bv are directed upward above the pivot 5. The free end oi the clothesline is pulled in the direction ofthe arrow, the body of the rope sliding through the notches, until the desired degree of tension has been applied to the reach of line extending from the device. It will be noted that the pull thus applied to tighten the line reacts on the edges of the notches, tending to turn the clamping member 3 in counterclockwise direction, but the engagement of the stop portion Sie upon the body of the member 2 prevents the clamping member from turning, and such clamping member remains in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, with the notches 3o directed upward and the side edges of the notches inclined away from the direction of pull, thereby inhibiting any tendency for the line to slip out of the notches.

When the desired tension has been applied to the clothesline, the handle portion 3d is lifted, turning the clamping member 3 in clockwise direction. This is done without relieving the tension on the line. Due to the particular over-center arrangement of the notched portions 3a and 3b with respect to the pivot 5, it takes but little force to lift the handle portion and turn the clamping member 5, even though there be considerable tension on the clothesline. And when the clamping member has been turned through the relatively small angle necessary to bring the inner ends` of the notchesato just below the pivot,. this tensiononth'e lineyacting-"on `the edges of the notches, immediately becomes eiective to snap the clamping member clockwise, bringing the engaged body portion of the rope online" into engagement with the rounded clamping edge 2d. The two notched portions of-:theifclampingf':

member, embracing and extendingdownward on opposite sides of the clamping edge 2d,`effect each a wedging of the body of the rope .between the inner end of its -notch and the clamping edge Zeil..v Thus,- there-.is a double., wedging actionwhich-is .effective Ito clamp,the line.

It will be 'perceived thattlcatensionj applied to= thelline Ainitially .acts to .holdthefclamping mem.- bers 3 in open position GFig.- 1) because the` notchesv 3a andb-.thatretain the. ropeare. located above :the -pivot.v5, However, when the clamping: memberl isfswungfinto., closed Vposition (Fig. 3), and. saidenotches/ are locatedbelow the pivot, the tension'of the:line,acting onfthe side edge of one. of the notches,zis eiective to. tur-n .the clamping member clockwiseuntilthe engaged body ofthe. line =is securely4 wedged..upon.the clamping edge 2d.and. there to-.maintain or.lock,it. Dueto the particular eccentricity.. and. inclination of theft;

cured. And manifest1y,. then, ,the-'greater thev tension appliedto. the. line,. the` greater isY theforce that. tends toA turn .the clampingV memberY .3`

clockwise, andf the .more secureis the wedging Aor clampingengagement of the line., The forces, Lare sel accommodating, :to .insure absolutesecurity of the. engaged line;-

Within the. terms.. of theappended` claims various modifications of the self-1ocking clamping device described. may be made-without..departing from-the'spirit of the invention# I claim:

1. Aftake-up and self-locking. clamping device fora horizontally extendingrope. comprising two. clamping members, a pivot.` uniting vthe rst` clamping member to the secondclamping member; ata point locatedadjacent. `to a terminal. end of .said second membenthe. second clamping member having a .clamping edge extending toward said endand spaced from said.pivot,.the space interval.. between said. clamping edge and.. thev pivot. de. creasing .as said.. edge inits. extent approachessaid pivot, `the iirst clamping. v.meini'ler .comprising va biiurcated structure `having ,two notches opening.,

transversely thereof, the bottoms of the notches being located at a greater radial distance from said pivot than said terminal end of the second clamping member, the first clamping member being movable between a position in which the notches extend in rope-receiving position above said pivot slideably to receive a rope to be drawn taut, and a position in which said notches extend downwardly from said pivot to embrace said clamping edge and secnrelywedge the body of then rope insaid `notches vagainst said clamping edge, said downwardly extending notches having aLrope-engaging edge positioned to react to horizontalctension applied to the engaged rope for increasing the wedging action against said clampingedge: in: accordance with the magnitude of such tension.

2."'The'structure-of claim 1, said bifurcated memberfhaving a stop portion arranged to engage the body of the second clamping member for supporting..said bifurcated member in said ropereceivingposition... l

3. The structure ,.of..'claim2, said bifurcated. member... having ,.a.- handle .extending l,upwardlyv4 whensuchmember .is..in rope-receiving position..

4. ,.A. .takeeun and self-.locking clamping .deviceV for, a.,h orizontally extending rope comprising a; hook member, a bifurcated member havingtwo. notchesopening transversely thereof,.and .a pivot unitingthebifurcated `member .to the tipof. said.. hooklmember. for .angular..m0yement. relatively,v

thereto, .said ,hook member. havinga clamping: edge. extending. .toward-,saidtip and. spaced from: said,pivot,.the space intervalbetweensaid clamp-- ing.. edgeand .the pivot decreasing as said edge inf its extentapproachessaid pivot, thebottoms of the. notches in said. bifurcated member being located ;at. a .greater radial distance. from. said pivot. than. the. extreme, endof said. .tip of the hook member,.the bifurcated 4member being angularly. movable. between aposition in which said notches, extend in rope-receiving `positionabove .said pivoty slideably to receive a rope to be drawn taut, and a.. position in which said notches extenddownwardly from. said .pivot .to embrace .said clamping edge and securely 4wedge the. 4body ,of .,a ropefin said'. notchesagainst said clamping edge, said downwardlyextending. notches .having a .rope-engaging edgepositionedto react to horiz'ontaltension applied to the engaged ropefor increasing thewedgf.. ingjactionagainst said clamping edge in. accorde ance with the magnitude of such tension.

JAMESv F. FAIR.

REFERENCES CITEDv The@ following references-are-of record in the` file of` ythis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number.v N ame 1- Date '784,217 Koepp Mar. 7,1905; 1,062,457-vr Hadley- May'20,:191.3- 1,412,936 Grimes Apr, 18,l 1922i. 1,761,559 Diehl June 3, 1930 

